LIMAY, Bataan — The Bureau of Customs here foiled on Christmas Day an attempt to smuggle 2,028 metric tons of white Vietnamese rice valued at P103 million and arrested the crew of a vessel loaded with it.
It was learned that the apprehended crews of the vessel were set for inquest Tuesday,
Dec. 26, by the Department of Justice anti-smuggling task force at DOJ in Manila.
Sources said the subject ship made the attempt to unload the rice that the skipper allegedly claimed to have come from Cebu with the duties and taxes already settled.
BOC officers upon verification, however, found the presented documents in conflict with each other. The Bureau of Plant Industry clearance to transport plant products only allowed the transportation of 1,700 kilograms of rice but actually transported were 2,028 metric tons.
Also, the proof of payment of custom duties showed only 1,850 MT and there was no proof shown that the cargo loaded into the vessel was cleared and released by the BOC in Cebu.
Further examination by the BOC officers showed that the rice loaded in the vessel was different from the rice legally imported at the Cebu port. Upon evaluation of the evidence, the Law Division of the Port of Limay, signed the warrant of seizure and detention on Dec. 24.
The crews of the ship caught smuggling the rice were arrested on Dec. 25 for violation of Large-Scale Smuggling of Agricultural Products which is punishable with life imprisonment.
The seizure and arrest, sources said, is part of the anti-smuggling drive led by Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio. It will be recalled that just a few days ago, the NBI-BOC Team was able to foil an attempt to smuggle fuel, also in Bataan.
Officers of the Port of Limay begged off to be interviewed for lack of authority to do so. Sources, however, said their actions more than words clearly show a firm commitment to stop smuggling in any form and demonstrate their dedication to the anti-smuggling campaign of BOC Commissioner Rubio.
